Denise Fitzgerald, Leader of the Digital Engineering Center, MIT Lincoln Laboratory

Denise Fitzgerald is the Leader of the Digital Engineering Center (DEC) at MIT Lincoln Laboratory. Denise is leading the Laboratory’s digital engineering transformation and is evolving the Lab’s engineering and operational capability through the use of analytical models to define and drive process while building a connected and efficient prototyping environment. Prior to becoming a champion for organizational change and modernization of engineering practice, Denise had over 25 years of experience as a precision mechanical engineer developing complex hardware systems. She holds a BS in mechanical engineering from Worcester Polytechnic Institute and an MS in Mechanical Engineering from North Carolina State University.

Christopher M. McDermott, PE, PMP, Engineering Manager, DENSO International America, Inc.

Chris McDermott is a distinguished leader at DENSO International America, Inc. (DIAM), where he heads the PLM team within the North American IT Digital Center Division. With 24 years at DENSO, including 15 years in Management and 3.5 years in PLM leadership, Chris has been instrumental in guiding the company through the complexities of the automotive sector's digital transformation. His expertise spans engineering, management, and strategy, underpinned by his experience in Mexico, Japan, and Canada, showcasing his commitment to global innovation from his Southfield, Michigan, base.

Under Chris’s stewardship, DENSO’s PLM initiatives across North America have seen remarkable advancements, including the successful launch of two additional PLM modules - expanding the system to six - and spearheading a significant in-house development project that has notably enhanced DENSO’s digital infrastructure. His leadership philosophy marries strategic foresight with a supportive, coach-like approach, emphasizing high team engagement and morale as the keystones of success. Chris's visionary leadership not only strengthens DENSO’s digital backbone but also sets new benchmarks in the automotive industry’s digital landscape.

Leslie McKay, Vice-Chair of the Digital Standards Alliance, SAE International

Leslie McKay has over 20 years of experience managing software and hardware products. Her career has focused on developing successful products that leverage AI and machine learning, specifically voice recognition and natural language processing. She won two User Experience Awards from Honeywell for leading a team to develop a voice-recognition system that directs workers in distribution centers. Leslie joined SAE International in 2021 to drive their digital standards initiative. In her role at SAE and as Vice-Chair of the Digital Standards Alliance, Leslie is defining best practices for the authoring and use of digital standards in the product development lifecycle.

A. Larry Gurule, President, CMPIC LLC

Larry Gurule is the President of CMPIC LLC, lead instructor, and author of CMPIC’s course material. As President of i-infusion, Inc. he has decades of experience in Configuration Management (CM) and PLM, including consulting, assessing, and teaching on the subject matter to a wide variety of both commercial and government organizations across the globe. Larry is an active member in the CM community and is the current Chairperson of the global SAE G-33 Configuration Management committee. Larry is also advancing 649CM harmonization through his active participation with SAE International, IEEE, ISO/TC 176/SC2/SC3, INCOSE, and ASME Committees.